Material-spreading apparatus

ABSTRACT

A FRAME HAVING AN ENDLESS BELT DRIVABLY MOUNTED THEREON, ADAPTED TO BE REMOVABLY MOUNTED IN THE BED OR BOX OF A MATERIAL-TRANSPORTING VEHICLE FOR REMOVING MATERIAL FROM THE TRUCK BED AND INCLUDING BAFFLES A(D AUGERS FOR SPREADING THE MATERIAL EVENLY BEHIND THE VEHICLE AS IT TRAVELS OVER THE GROUND.

United States Patent Inventors Clarence H. Regnier;

Edward J. Stewart; Peter E. Stewart, West St. Paul, Minn. App]. No. 821,631 Filed May 5, 1969 Patented June 28, 1971 Assignees Edward J. Stewart;

Peter E. Stewart St. Paul, Minn.

MATERIAL-SPREADING APPARATUS 10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

Int. Cl. A01c 15/00 [50] Field of Search 222/178, 252, 408,412, 415

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,872,080 2/1959 Thene 222/178 3,322,429 5/1967 Cervelli 222/413X Primary Examiner-David M. Bockenek Att0rneyMerchant and Gould ABSTRACT: A frame having an endless belt drivably mounted thereon, adapted to be removably mounted in the bed or box of a material-transporting vehicle for removing material from the truck bed and including baffles and angers for spreading the material evenly behind the vehicle as it travels over the ground.

PATENTEUJUHZBIQH 5 1 313 sum 1 OF 2 INVEN TOR8.

CLHRENCE H. REGNIER EDURRD J. STEUHRT PETER E. STEUHRT HTTORNEYS MATERIALSPREADING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention is especially adapted for use with small trucks utilized to transport top dressing material for golf greens and the like. It should be understood however, that many other uses will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Description of the Prior Art In the prior art, top dressing machines and the like age generally constructed so that they are only useful for carrying top dressing materials and distributing the same. In general these prior art machines carry a relatively small load and are relatively slow and awkward to manipulate. Because these prior art machines are slow and carry a small load, top dressing is a time-consuming and tedious task. Further, because these machines are only useful for top dressing the expense of maintaining such a machine is relatively great.

Q SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention pertains to material-spreading apparatus for use with a material-transporting vehicle including a frame adapted to be removably attached to the vehicle, endless conveying means rotatably mounted on said frame so as to be positioned within the box of the vehicle in substantial overlying relationship to the bottom thereof and extending outwardly from the open end thereof, and power means for rotating said conveying means upon proper energization thereof.

It is an object of the present invention to provide improved material-spreading apparatus.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide material-spreading apparatus adapted to be removably mounted in a material-transporting vehicle to convert the material-transporting vehicle to a material-spreading vehicle.

It is a furtherobject of the present invention to provide material-spreading apparatus capable of spreading various types of materials and adapted to cooperate with various types of material-transporting vehicles.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide materialspreading apparatus which spreads material transversely outwardly in both directions from the material-transporting vehicle to cover wheel tracks when the wheels of the transporting vehicle are mounted transversely outwardly from the box thereof.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the accompanying specification, claims and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the F IGS.:

FIG. 1 is a view in top plan of the present material-spreading apparatus mounted on a material-transporting vehicle;

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation of the apparatus and vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view in rear elevation of the apparatus removed from the vehicle, portions thereof broken away and the windshield and cleaning brush removed;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view as seen generally from a line 4-4 of FIG. 3, portions thereof broken away;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view as seen generally from a line 5-5 of FIG. 4, portions thereof broken away;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view in front elevation of a portion of FIG. I removed; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of an alternate embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the F IGS., the numeral 10 generally designates a material-transporting vehicle having a seat 11 for an operator and a steering control 12 attached to a front wheel. The vehicle 10 also has a box 13, open at the rear end thereof, for containing materials, such as top dressing soil, fertilizer, etc., and two rear wheels 14 mounted transversely outwardly from the box 13. The present material-spreading apparatus generally designated 15 is operatively mounted within the box 13. It should be understood that any desired type of truck or vehicle might be utilized in cooperation with the present apparatus 15 and the vehicle 10 is illustrated so that the apparatus 15 can be fully explained. When different sizes and types of vehicles are utilized in cooperation with the apparatus 15, the apparatus 15 may be constructed with various manufacturing-type modifications so that it fits the associated vehicle properly.

The apparatus 15 includes a frame generally designated 20 having two elongated horizontally spaced-apart angle irons 21 positioned in the comers of the box 13 so as to be generally parallel with and adjacent the sides and bottom thereof. The angle irons 21 extend along either side of the box 13 from the front end to approximately the open rear end thereof. Short pieces of angle iron 22 are affixed to the rear ends of each of the angle irons 21 so as to extend transversely outwardly therefrom a distance slightly greater than the axial distance the wheels 14 extend outwardly from the box 13. Two third pieces of angle iron 23 are affixed to the transversely extending outer ends of each of the pieces of angle iron 22 so as to extend rearwardly beyond the rear open end of the box 13 a substantial distance. A pair of angle irons 24, having a length approximately equal to the length of the angle irons 21, are affixed to the vertically upwardly projecting portions of the angle irons 21, by welding or the like, so that the portions of the angle irons 24 are parallel with but inverted from the similar portions of the associated angle irons 21. Thus, each of the angle irons 21 has a transversely inwardly projecting portion resting on the bottom of the box 13 while each of the angle irons 24 has a transversely inwardly projecting portion parallel with the similar portions of the angle irons 21 but spaced vertically thereabove.

The frame 20 further includes two spacer members 25 each afiixed between the vertically upwardly projecting portions of the angle irons 21 for maintaining the angle irons 21 in the correct horizontally spaced-apart position. The spacer members 25 are spaced apart horizontally with one adjacent the front of the box 13 and one adjacent the rear thereof. A plurality of horizontally spaced-apart support members 26, which in this embodiment are channel irons, are affixed between-the vertically extending portions of the angle irons 24 so as to rest on the upper edges of the angle irons 21. The upper surfaces of the support members 26 provide a base for an elongated piece of sheet metal 27 or the like, which extends from the front of the box 13 to approximately the open rear end thereof and from one side to the other thereof.

A generally U-shaped piece of angle iron 28 is affixed at both ends thereof to the undersides of the pieces of angle iron 23, so as to extend downwardly thereunder and a horizontal plate 29, having a hole therethrough, is affixed to the bight of the u-shaped angle iron 28 so as to cooperate with a trailer hitch 30 affixed to the vehicle 10. A pin 31 engaged through the plate 29 and trailer hitch 30 maintains the frame 20 fixedly positioned in the box 13 of the vehicle 10.

Vertically upstanding sides generally designated 35 each include a first portion 36, which mates with the rear end of the sides of the box 13 in a partially overlying relationship, a second portion 37 affixed thereto and extending transversely outwardly therefrom, and a third portion 38 extending rearwardly from the transversely outwardly extending portion 37. The upstanding sides 35 aid in containing and guiding the material being transported by the vehicle 10 and spread by the apparatus 15. In the present embodiment the apparatus 15 is only extend a short distance along the apparatus 15. However, it should be understood that upstanding sides could be affixed to the apparatus 15 along the entire length thereof (and the width across the front thereof if desired) so that the apparatus 15 could be utilized in substantially any vehicle without modifications thereto. Also, if the apparatus has upstanding sides along the length thereof and across the front, the apparatus 15 might be utilized on a vehicle having only a bed with no box thereon.

A first roller 40 is rotatably mounted adjacent the front of the box 13 between the angle irons 21. The diameter of the roller 40 is such that the sheet metal 27 is approximately tangent to the uppermost portion of the periphery while the lowermost portion of the periphery is spaced slightly upwardly from the upper surfaces of the horizontal portions of the angle irons 21. A second roller 41 is rotatably mounted between the angle irons 21, parallel with the first roller 40 at approximately the rear end of the box 13. The second roller 41 has a diameter somewhat smaller than the diameter of the first roller 40. A third roller 42 is rotatably mounted between the pieces of angle iron 23 and spaced rearwardly from the second roller 41 a substantial distance. The first, second and third rollers 40, 41 and 42 are all mounted with their axes approximately in a common plane.

A first endless belt 43 is engaged around the second and third rollers 41 and 42 for rotation therewith. The width of the endless belt 43 is approximately equal to the distance between the upstanding sides 35. A second endless belt 44 is engaged around the first roller 40 and the third roller 42 so as to engage in overlying relationship portions of the endless belt 43. The width of the second endless belt 44 is approximately equal to the distance between the angle irons 21 and the upper flight thereof is supported by and in overlying engagement on the sheet metal 27. The horizontal transversely extending portions of the angle irons 24 overlie the edges of the second endless belt 44 and aid in preventing material from moving thereunder. It should be understood that endless belts 43 and 44 are illustrated in this embodiment for simplicity but many other conveying means might be utilized, such as heavy duty conveyor chain, horizontally spaced-apart flights connected by two parallel endless chains, link-belt-type endless belt, etc.

A plurality of bridging members 50, each having a generally inverted V-shaped cross section are affixed between the angle irons 24 in upwardly spaced relationship. The bridging members 50 are utilized to aid in, or partially support, a load of material in the box 13. By a relieving part of the weight on the endless belt 44, the endless belt 44 can move more freely with less strain thereon. Also, the bridging members 50 are spaced above the endless belt 44 to aid in distributing material evenly thereon during operation. A second type of baffle 51 is illustrated in the FIGS. and may be utilized in addition to or in place of some or all of the bridging members 50. The baffle 51 is a partitionlike member affixed between the angle irons 24 so as to extend angularly upwardly with the lower edge thereof in spaced relation from the upper surface of the endless belt 44. The baffle 51 is utilized to maintain the major portion of the load of material within the box 13 while a small relatively even portion thereof is allowed to pass under the baffle 51.

A generally V-shaped baffle 52 is positioned between the portions 36 of the upstanding sides 35 adjacent the rear of the box 13, with the apex of the V directed forwardly. The baffle 52 is mounted in upwardly spaced relationship from the endless belt 44 and includes a plurality of downwardly directed teeth 53 (see FIG. 6) in the lower surface thereof. In the present embodiment the teeth 53 are formed by providing a plurality of cuts in the baffle 52 from the lower edge thereof and twisting the material between adjacent cuts. In this fashion, the teeth 53 serve to spread the material along the width of the endless belt 44 as well as limiting the amount of material passing thereunder. The baffle 52 may be utilized in conjunction with or in place of any or all of the bridging members 50 and baffle 51.

A shaft 55, utilized to rotatably mount the third roller 42, extends outwardly on both sides of the box 13 beyond the pieces of angle iron 23. A pulley 56 is mounted on one end of the shaft 55 for rotation therewith and a pulley 57 is mounted on the other end for rotation therewith. In this embodiment the pulley 56 is connected through a belt 58 to the drive pulley on a motor 59. It should be understood, however, that other means than the motor 59 might beutilized for driving the shaft 55 and roller 42, such as a power takeoff from the vehicle 10, a connection directly to the wheels 14, etc.

The pulley 57 at the other end of the shaft 55 is connected by way of a belt 60 to a pulley 61 at the end of a shaft 62, which shaft 62 is rotatably mounted between the upstanding sides 35 and spaced approximately midway between the rollers 42 and 43. The shaft 62 has an auger 63 affixed thereof, which auger 63 has right and left flights extending outwardly from approximately the center thereof. The auger 63 is mounted above the endless belt 43 and utilized to distribute material from the belt 44, approximately evenly along the width of the belt 43. Because the belt 43 extends transversely outwardly beyond the sides of the box 13, at least as far as the wheels 14, material spread over the width thereof by the auger 63 is spread evenly over the ground behind vehicle 10, to aid in covering the wheel tracks. It should be understood that apparatus other than the auger 63 might be utilized to distribute the material along the width of the belt 43, for example various types of baffles (such as baffle 52) might be utilized. Also, if the material being distributed has a tendency to be extremely lumpy, as in the distribution of some top dressing soils and the like, the auger 63 may have spikes, cutting edges, etc. thereon for breaking the lumps.

The pulley 57, in the present embodiment, is a double pulley and is connected through a belt 65 to a pulley 66 fixedly attached to a shaft 67, which shaft 67 is rotatably mounted beneath the belt 43 and the pieces of angle iron 23. The shaft 67 has affixed thereto a cylindrical brush 68, which is mounted in engagement with the underside of the belt 43. The brush 68 generally rotates in a direction opposite to the movement of the belt 43 and is utilized to clean any remaining material from the surface of the belt 43. It should be understood that the brush 68 is optional and may be eliminated if desired. Also, the brush 68 may be mounted in a variety of different positions so as to effectively clean the belt 43.

A partition 70, somewhat similar to baffle 51, is mounted between the upstanding sides 35 with the lower end thereof spaced vertically above the rearmost end of the endless belt 43. The lower end of the partition 70 is spaced a substantial distance above the endless belt 43 and defines the maximum opening, or maximum amount of material, the apparatuslS can distribute at any given time. An adjustable closure member 71 is engaged in grooves behind the partition 70 so as to slide generally parallel with the partition 70 and vary the opening therebelow. Linking members 72 are affixed at one end to a shaft 73 for rotation therewith and at the other end to the closure member 71, so that rotation of the shaft 73 causes generally vertical sliding movement of the closure member 71. The shaft 73 is rotated by means of a handle 74 external of the upstanding sides 35. Thus, manipulation of the handle 74 adjusts the depth of the material spread by the apparatus 15.

A windshield 75, having a generally arcuate cross section, is mounted between the upstanding sides 35 so as to shield the rear end of the endless belt 43 and prevent wind from diverting material falling therefrom. The windshield 75 is optional and may be constructed in a variety of forms so as to protect the falling material from wind and aid in directing the material onto the desired location.

In FIG. 7 a somewhat modified embodiment of the apparatus 15 is illustrated. In this embodiment similar parts are designated with similar numerals having a prime added to indicate a modified embodiment. In the embodiment of FIG. 7 the endless belt 43 and rollers 41 and 42 have been replaced with an enlarged roller 43' having a circumference approximately equal to the length of the endless belt 43. The roller 43' functions similar to the previously described apparatus which it replaces and some means, such as the auger 63, are utilized to distribute material evenly therealong so that the apparatus can spread the material evenly on the ground to the desired width. It should be understood that other forms of spreading the material to the desired width might be designed by those skilled in the art and the two forms illustrated are simply two possible embodiments.

Thus, material-spreading apparatus is disclosed which can be conveniently installed in substantially any material transporting vehicle, with no modifications to the vehicle, and will convert the vehicle into a material-spreading device. Further, the present material-spreading apparatus is simple and economical to construct and highly efficient in the operation thereof. In addition to the above, the present material-spreading apparatus can be easily stored and the associated materialtransporting vehicle can be utilized for other purposes.

We claim:

1. Material-spreading apparatus for use in combination with a material-transporting vehicle having a box thereon with one end open, comprising:

a. a frame adapted to be removably attached to the vehicle;

b. endless conveying means mounted on said frame to be operated within the box adjacent the bottom thereof and having a width substantially equal to the'inner width of the box and extending from adjacent the closed end of the box to somewhat beyond the open end thereof;

c. baffle means attached to the frame in spaced relation generally above the conveying means for limiting the amount of material conveyed through the open end of the box at any one time; and

d. power means for rotating said conveying means upon energization thereof to convey material outwardly through the open end of the box.

2. Material-spreading apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the portion of the conveying means extending beyond the open end of the box is substantially wider than the box and including in addition dispersing means for causing the material to be conveyed substantially equally along the width of the conveying means.

3. Material-spreading apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein the dispersing means includes an auger having right and left flights for distributing material in both directions.

4. Material-spreading apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the vehicle has a trailer hitch attached thereto and the frame has a mating member for removably attaching the frame to the vehicle.

5. Material-spreading apparatus as set forth in claim I having in addition a windshield affixed to the frame adjacent the end of the conveying means extending beyond the box and partially enclosing said end to aid in directing material downwardly.

6. Material-spreading apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein the endless conveying means includes a first endless belt having a width substantially equal to the inner width of the box and a second endless belt having a width substantially wider than the box and being mounted in underlying relationship to the rearmost portion of said first endless belt for simultaneous rotation.

7. Material-spreading apparatus for use in combination with a vehicle having a generally elongated bed thereon, comprismg: I

a. a frame adapted to be removably attached to the vehicle in a generally longitudinal manner along the vehicle bed between front and rear ends thereof;

b. conveying means mounted on said frame and extending generally from adjacent the front end of the vehicle bed to the rear end thereof;

c. power means for rotating said conveying means upon energization thereof to transport material outwardly beyond said rear end; and

d. dispersing means positioned above said frame adjacent said rear end and operatively associated with said conveying means for causing generally equal transverse distribution of the material conveyed outwardly beyond the rear end.

8. Material-spreading apparatus as set forth in claim 7 including in addition means defining upstanding sides having oppositely disposed open and closed ends positioned generally above the rear and front ends, respectively, of the vehicle bed wherein said material is distributed outwardly through said open end.

9. Material-spreading apparatus as set forth in claim 8 having in addition bafile means attached to said frame in spaced relation above said conveying means and dispersing means for limiting the amount of material transported outward through said open end at any one time.

l0. Material-spreading apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said dispersing means includes an auger having right and left flights for distributing material in both directions. 

